Greenland

General Information about Greenland

Greenland, the world's largest island while close to North America geographically is more aligned politically and historically to Europe and was part of the European Union. Greenland is a self governing province of Denmark and is located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans with Iceland its closest European neighbour. Greenland has a population of 57000 and its capital city is Nuuk. Most of the population lives in the south west which does have a milder climate that the rest of the country.

Greenland enjoys three seasons with spring after the long winter providing activities like dog sledding, and the summer season starts when the ice melts and boat trips are available to view the glaciers and places of historical interest. The winter season is the harshest of the seasons but is the best time to take the spectacular Northern Lights. Dog sled and snowmobile tours are also available to the snow covered landscape.

Accommodation is varied with hotels, bed and breakfasts, hostels and campsites available to meet most budgets. The hotels now incorporate seamen hostels which were originally used as basic accommodation but now have been brought up to hotel standards.

Greenland Destinations

Travel Guides for Destinations in Greenland

Climate

Find Out About The Climate In Greenland

Winter is the best time to visit Greenland to see the Northern Lights. The days in the south are short with the sunrises creating beautiful light displays. Spring brings temperatures above freezing in parts of the country and is the best time for sighting of seals and whales. Storms and heavy snow are rare in the Spring and Summer months.

Geography

Geographical Information On Greenland

The capital of Greenland is Nuuk with a population of over 15,000 people. Greenland is one of the largest islands in the world with over 56,000 inhabitants on the island and a coastline of over 44,000 kilometres. Over 84 percent of the country is covered by snow. Greenland can be found between the Arctic and the North Atlantic Ocean. Its neighbours are Canada and Iceland.

Economy

Learn About The Economy In Greenland

The fishing industry is the biggest source of income for Greenland Prawns, halibut, salmon, and cod being the most common catches. Prawns are also caught in large quantities at Disko Bay. They also mine gold, uranium, iron and diamonds as well as copper, coal, oil although these are more difficult to find. A lot of their financial support comes from Denmark.

Festivals and Events

Discover Whats On In Greenland

The capital of Greenland, Nuuk is home to the ever popular Nuuk Snow Festival which is held annually in February. Over four days teams build sculptures out of huge ice blocks. The sculptures are judged at the end of the festival and in the evenings the sculptures are brought to life with amazing light displays. March brings the Arctic Circle Race with the main race lasting for three days with a total distance of 160 kilometres. This is not for the light hearted.